Friday, January 31, 2014

The January Transfer Window Has Just Closed

Arsene Wenger doesn't like the January transfer window, and demonstrated it by refusing to use it to improve his club.

Despite a lot of rumors about a done deal for the young German midfield phenom Julian Draxler, Arsenal settled for 31-year-old Swedish midfielder Kim Kallstrom on loan from Spartak Moscow. This is not the kind of move that will boost Arsenal's hopes of winning the Premier League, but merely a stop-gap measure for the raft of injuries (and a red card in the case Flamini) Arsenal have suffered in the center of midfield. Once Ramsey and Wilshire are healthy again, it's hard to imagine Kallstrom will get much playing time.

Still, at least Wenger plugged the gap in midfield. The same cannot be said for the forward line, where Arsenal have been thin all season, and are just one injury to Olivier Giroud from being rendered toothless. Perhaps talented strikers were simply unavailable this time around, but I find the lack of help upfront more disappointing the failure to pull the trigger on Draxler.

UPDATE: The player Arsenal just signed on loan, Kim Kallstrom, has an injury that will keep him out of action for at least several weeks. And Arsenal apparently knew it when they signed him. Given that Arsenal's other injured midfielders could be back from injury before the the guy who was signed to fill in during their absence. A deeply perplexing move. I wonder what Wenger's explanation will be, if ever he offers one.

Teaching and Research Interests

I teach Property, Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law, Land Use, and Law & Economics. My research interests are interdisciplinary, focusing on the law and economics of property and environmental protection.

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Opinions expressed on this blog do not necessarily represent the views of Indiana University or any person other than the author.